West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-05-13
THE DEMOCRATIC CREED.

NE DciuUCIdCA Vi hSntuShN INV
in convention at Louisville on the
4..h and the address of Speaker Car
Isle should be carefully read by all
persons who wish to acquire clear
cut views as to the doctrines of our
party. He said:
This is the first Democratic State
convention that has assembled in
Kentucky under Democratic Presi-
dent for 81 years. Nearly genera.
tion has passed away; during the in.
terval, there has been civil war;
State governments have been des-
troyed and re-established; n great
body of new voters have been Great
ed; the social and domestic habits
of the people have changed, but the
Democratic party is still here, and
it is here to stay as long as there is
a shred of the old Constitution to be
defended. Twenty-one years ago,
MAY, 1866 the Democrats of Ken
lucky met in convention. Federal
and Confederate soldiers met as
Democrats and adopted resolutions
that declared: That the surest way
to perpetuate the Union was to up
hold and defend the Constitution:
that the Federal Government was
one of limited powers and was as
much bound to obey and respect the
Constitution as the States and the
people were; that Congress had no
right to deprive any State in the
Union of its representation in that
body; that the government had no
right whatever to abridgc or inter
fere with the freedom of speech or
the press, and no right to cry civil
ians before military commissions
and courts martial; that the great
writ Of habeas corpus could not be
lawfully suspended except in case of
rebellion or invasion when the pub
lie safety required it, and that large
standing armies in time of peace
were dangerous to the liberties Of
the people; and they declared that
the most rigid economy should be
practiced in the public eXpendi
lures; that all taxation should be
equal and uniform, and that in lay
ing and collecting taxes it was con
trary to the genius of the Govern
ment to make determinations in ia
vor of one class Of citizens against
another class, or in favor of one
branch of industry against other
branches Of industry. These were
brave words in 1866. They separa-
ted from us many able and infuen
tial gentlemen who had co-operated
with us during the two or three pre-
ceding years, but at the same time
they consolidated the real Democra-
cy of the State and made the party
aggressive and strong. There are
some here to-day who were here
when these declarations were made,
and it will require no argument to
convince them that an honest and
open avowal of true principles is the
first step toward victory. Without
this success means nothing or it
means deception and dissatisfaction,
and is worth nothing.
Time and the progress of events
have disposed of many Of the ques-
tions which divided parties in 1866,
but some of those questions still re-
main and new ones have arisen.
Now we are here again, not only to
nominate candidates for public Off
ces, but also to express our opinions
upon public questions, and we should
do so in plain and unmistakable
terms. For the first time in quar-
ter of a century the responsibilities
of government are on the Democrat
ic party, and it must meet them in q
spirit of broad and unsellish patri-
otism. If it ever had prejudices, it
must forget them. If it ever felt tue
spirit of faction, it must silence it.
If it is embarrassed by differences of
opinion among its own members, it
must reconcile them, if possible, but
if that cannot be done. it must de-
liberately pronounce the Judgment
of the majority on all vital questions
and let each man 60 his own way
and choose his own political associ-
ates. This proscribes nobody, co
erces nobody, but it bases party or
ganization on principle and makes
party action honest and respectable.
This is not the occasion for an
elaborate discussion of political
questions. l hope, during the can
vass, to explain more at large why l
am so profoundly convinced that the
best interests of the State and the
whole country will be promoted by
the combined ascendency of Demo
cratic principles and Democratic
methods. l believe, gentlemen, that
a large majority of the people of the
United States are now looking to the
Democratic party to protect them
and their property from the en-
croachments and spoliations Of what
is called paternal government on the
one side, and from the threatening
depredations of agrarianism on the
other. 1t is the only political or
ganization that has witnessed and
helped to promote the wonderful
growth and prosperity Of the coun-